Danixa Carr
Brooklyn, NY
I am Panamanian and Puerto Rican. My mom is Afro-Panamanian (her roots are mixed as well) and my dad is mestizo. Growing up, I’ve always identified with my Panamanian side and considered myself to be Latina. However, I had one life altering experience in Panama. I traveled to Panama in 2010 because I came in second place in a beauty pageant. The winner was mixed just like I me but had straighter hair as opposed to my kinky dreadlocks. I was not allowed to wear the national costume in an upcoming parade, La Pollera because I was told that my hair was deemed too “ethnic”, Because my hair is locked, many people define me based on their own racial experience. Many African-Americans call me “sista”, whites think I am mixed, and to mestizos I am a “morena”. I personally do not identify myself along any racial lines but tend to be more nationalistic and prefer Panamanian-Puerto Rican
